Probate & Estate Administration

The death of a loved one and subsequent responsibility of dealing with their estate can be very a difficult and often traumatic time.

Probate is the legal process of administering a deceased person’s estate who died with a Will. The ‘Grant of Probate’ is issued by the Court following an application process by the deceased’s Executors. Once probate is obtained the Executor realises all of the deceased’s assets, pays any liabilities and distributes any money and possessions in accordance with the deceased’s Will.

If the deceased did not leave a Will then usually their next of kin will apply to the Court for ‘Letters of Administration’. Letters of Administration entitle the next of kin to be the estate Administrator, after the payment of any liabilities the Administrator distributes any money and possessions in accordance with the laws of intestacy which dictate the legal order of who is entitled to the estate.

Most Executors and Administrators will need to seek professional help and advice regarding Probate and Estate Administration.

It is imperative that Executors and Administrators to act in accordance with the law including paying the correct taxes and ensuring the estate is distributed correctly.

The Executor or Administrator is personally responsible for any loss or errors during the Administration.

Complete Wills sister company, Goddard Dunbar & Associates Ltd, handles all our clients probate enquiries. The Goddard Dunbar specialist probate solicitor and his team can give advice and support on dealing with the deceased’s estate and acting as an Executor. We will aim to make the experience as stress-free as possible.

Here’s how Goddard Dunbar work:

Goddard Dunbar Typical Probate Service Fees:

Obtaining the Grant of Probate only no IHT return £750 plus VAT and disbursements

Obtaining the Grant of Probate only with IHT* return £1500 plus VAT and disbursements